The last few years have witnessed rapid expansion in the electronic device and equipment sector, and this has resulted in the production of large numbers of semiconductor-based electronic components. Within the arena of epoxy resins used to seal semiconductors, there has also been an accompanying strong demand for technical improvements in correspondence to the required maintenance of the characteristics and properties of semiconductors. Among these, improvements in the moisture resistance of epoxy resins are particularly important.
With regard to the development of epoxy resins in response to this demand, epoxy resin compositions are known in which an epoxy group-containing silane, amino group-containing silane, mercapto group-containing silane, ureide group-containing silane, or phenol group-containing silane has been blended into epoxy resin (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid Open [Kokai] Number 59-124923 [124,923/84]).
Nevertheless, the moisture resistance of these epoxy resin compositions is still inadequate, and, inter alia, they suffer from a sharp decline in bending strength after a boiling test in water. They are therefore unsatisfactory as sealants for electronic components.